Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Kidney Cancer:

       The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located on each of the spinal column in the lower abdomen . The kidneys perform many functions , some of which include disposal of waste and toxins from the blood stream , controlling blood pressure and maintaining the electrolyte concentration . As with other organs , the kidneys are vulnerable to the development of malignant cells or cancer . There are several types of this cancer that was detected when performing diagnostic procedures for other health conditions . 

Causes and Symptoms:

         The exact cause of this cancer have not been identified yet . Medical researchers found frequent exposure to toxic chemicals , smoking and drug side effects is a trigger factor for the development of this cancer . People who smoke have a 2-4 times higher risk to develop the disease than non -smokers. In addition , other risk factors include age , gender , occupation , kidney problems , prolonged dialysis , obesity , hypertension and certain genetic disorders .

         In children , the most common form of kidney cancer is Wilms' tumor , whereas renal cell carcinoma ( RCC ) and transitional cell carcinoma is mostly observed among adults. In the case of RCC , tumor cells growing in a layer of the nephron , whereas in transitional cell carcinoma , tumor cells are present in the tube connecting the kidney and bladder . More than 85 percent of the cancer cases in adults of renal carcinoma cell types .

       Kidney cancer does not cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages . As the disease progresses , symptoms such as bloody urine , recurrent fever , increased fatigue , loss of appetite , weight loss , lumps in the abdomen and back pain can be realized . This cancer can spread from one kidney to the other affected and other organs such as the lungs , liver and bones . Lymph nodes adjacent to the affected kidney may be enlarged . When it spreads to other organs , it is referred to as metastatic kidney cancer .

Diagnosis and Treatment:

          Early diagnosis is rarely because there are no significant symptoms . It can be diagnosed by accident while doing imaging tests such as computed tomography to other underlying diseases . If the doctor suspects for all types of kidney cancer , he may perform certain diagnostic tests such as urinalysis , blood tests , biopsies , chest X-rays , ultrasound , MRI ( magnetic resonance imaging ) scan , intravenous pyelogram ( IVP ) and bone scan .

         Based on the results of the diagnosis , doctors give cancer stage , stage I is when the tumor is small and is present in the kidney , stage II is a large tumor in the kidney , stage III is characterized by the spread of cancer to nearby tissues other than the kidney and stage IV is when the tumor spread to the organ - distant organs .

     Treatment is based on the stage , type of cancer and the patient's overall health . For stage I and II , effective treatment option is surgical removal of the tumor ( nephron - sparing surgery ) or whole kidney ( nephrectomy ) . If the risky surgical procedure , the doctor may perform cryoablation , embolization , radiation therapy , chemotherapy and targeted therapies to treat cancer and prevent the spread of tumors .

      Treatment procedures may be accompanied by biological therapies aimed at stimulating the immune system . One should consult a doctor about the pros and cons of available treatments for kidney cancer before opting for any treatment procedures . It is always advisable to choose a healthy lifestyle and quit smoking to prevent the development of this cancer .

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